38 JOHN SMITH, U.S.A., BUYS THE. NEW FAMILY BUS (No.1 IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES CALLED "THE WAY AMERICA LIVES") Ivan I vanovich has only one automobile dealer that he can go to see-the govern- ment. And he goes with his pocket full of rubles and his hat in his hand. John Smith, U.S.A., sort of takes the car and truck dealers in his town for granted. Seems they've always been there-ever since that shining day when he and Dad and Mom drove that first car home. Drove the long way smack up Main Street, sitting up tall. Smitty would sure howl to high heaven if he had to pay between three and four times his whole year's pay for a new car that can't hold a candle to any American car mechanically, in comfort. equipment or styling. Ivan does. And wait two years for delivery to boot! I van does. And deal with mechanics whose way of checking your anti-freeze is to taste the radiator water. (Guess they haven't invented the hydrom- eter yet.) Can't you see Ivan's eyes popping if he walked into Smitty's dealer's showroom? Here's a man, now, who has built his busi- ness on the solid rock of fine products. And he's put a lot of money into a big selection of models and modern service equipment. His business has grown because his le- gion of friends has grown. . . . This dealer and John Smith have been friends for a long time. See each other at the P.- T.A. and the lodge, the town council and the Little League practice sessions. Smitty's boy is learning to drive in the car the .dealer donated to the high-school driving course. Saw Smitty just this morning. Grinning like a Chessy cat. On his way to pick out the new family bus. According to Smitty, now's the time to buy. ] ust look at the , 59 models . . . the cleanest, most beautiful cars America's great automobile industry ever created. Look at the factory price tags on the windows . . . the biggest car value your dollar ever bought. . . . see your car or truck dealer. He'll greet you with a big smile and the best value in your whole ever-lovin' lifetime !-Adv. for the Saturday Evening Post, in the Times. entered the pharmacy of John White, V.S.A., Y ourtown's fnendly neighbor- hood druggist. The tear was brushed aside, however, and a smIle wreathed Smitty's visage as he clasped the hand of his former school chum. "What can I do you for? " the quick- witted apothecary asked, laughter danc- ing In his twinkling eyes. "A package of coffin naIls, WhItey," Smitty ripo ted. "I note anticipation in your mien," Smitty's friend remarked, handing him a package of cigarettes and, In the time- honored AmerIcan way, receiving re- muneration in return "Planning some- thing specIal for Mary and the little ones?" "I'm glad you asked that question, Whitey," the practitioner replied, grin- ning like a Chessy cat. "As a matter of fact, I'm on my way to pick out the new family bus. Now's the time to buy. Just look at the '59 models-the clean- est, most beautIful cars America's great automobIle Industr} ever created. Look at the factory price tags on the WIn- dows-the biggest car value your dollar ever bought. .." In another part of Y ourtown, at the "Despite continuing 'Inflationary pressures, it might be advtsabLe at this tir/te to take a profit 'In the more volatile issues i11 your portfolio." T HE morning sun shone brightly down upon the quiet Midwestern com- munity of Y ourtown as, from the front door of his house on Elm Street, ] ohn Smith, U .S..l\., stepped jauntily to the automo- bile parked in the drive. Waving to his loved ones grouped at the picture wIndow, he drove off into the spring sunlight. It had been a fun breakfast, a heart- warming breakfast, the blue- eyed chiropractor reflected as he turned left onto Oak Street. A passerby, had there been a passer- by, might even have noted a tear of joy on the cheek of the clean- limbed practitioner as he parked his car on Chestnut Street and very moment the two old friends were carrying on this characteristically Amer- ican colloquy, John Jones, U.S.A., the friendly local dealer for the Everyman Motor Company, was busIly shining the '59 Platinum Panther he planned to sell John Smith. As the square-shoul- dered agent stepped back to admire his handiwork, a big smile creased his coun- tenance. It was the smile, an observer, had there been an observer, might have remarked, of a man who had built his busIness on the solid rock of fine prod- ucts, and whose business had grown be- cause his legion of friends had grown. The attractive showroom was taste- fully decorated with a large American flag and photographs of Presidents Washington, Lincoln, and Ei enhower, the last smiling benignly The spectacu- lar array of spanking-new cars, and the shining new hydrometers lining the workbench, would have told even the hastiest and most casual observer that John Jones, V.S.A., was a man who put a lot of money into a big selection of models and modern service equipment. A FEW mInutes after John Jones had finished shining the' 5 9 Plati- num Panther, the bell at the showroom door tInkled, and, with a bIg smile, the well-liked dealer went to greet John Smith, U.S.A., for it was indeed he who entered at the door. Aft- er a cordIal exchange of pleasan- tries, the dealer led the practi- tioner to the gleaming Panther. "The best car Everyman ever put on the road, and she's yours for only $1, 132," Jones said, tapping the attractive tail fin, agleam with chrome. "Sounds reasonable," Smitt) replied cheerfully, reaching for his bIllfold. "Of course, that's without extras," the dealer went on ami- cably. "The good citizen, alert to the dangers of a new reces- sion, will demand super dyna- glide, triomatic thrust, and Sil- ver Tiger turbodrive." "Well . . ." the chiropractor mused. "The extras bring it to an even $3,077.14, and you can drive her right out of the show- room," said the dealer. "The best value in your whole ever- lovin' lifetime'" "I t seems a bIt steep, J onesy," Smitty said. "Steep!" cried J onesy . "I'm selling this car at a loss be- cause we've been friends for a long time. See each other at